Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon)

Goi cuon are the most refreshing thing you can put on a table. They’re gluten-free, mostly raw, and impossible to mess up once you’ve rolled three. The peanut sauce takes them over the edge.

Ingredients

Rolls

• 8 (8.5-inch) round rice paper sheets
• 16 head-on white shrimp, peeled, deveined, halved lengthwise
• 4 oz dried rice vermicelli
• 1 small head butter or red leaf lettuce, leaves torn in half
• ½ cup Thai basil leaves
• ½ cup mint leaves
• ½ cup cilantro sprigs
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 4 garlic chives, cut to fit the roll (optional)

Peanut sauce

• ¼ cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 1 tbsp fish sauce (or soy for vegan)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp sriracha
• 2 tbsp warm water (to thin)
• Crushed peanuts and sriracha to garnish

Method

1. Cook shrimp

Bring a small pot of salted water to a simmer. Drop in the shrimp halves and cook just until pink and curled — about 90 seconds. Drain, shock in ice water, pat dry.

2. Cook vermicelli

Boil vermicelli per package directions (usually 2–3 minutes), drain, rinse cold, and toss with a few drops of oil to keep loose.

3. Whisk the sauce

In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk hoisin, peanut butter, fish sauce, lime, sriracha, and water until smooth. Pour into a serving bowl and top with crushed peanuts and a swirl of sriracha.

4. Set up your station

Fill a wide pie plate with very warm water. Lay out a clean dish towel. Stage all the fillings around your workspace like an assembly line.

5. Roll

Submerge a rice paper for 3–5 seconds — it should still be slightly stiff (it keeps softening on the towel). Lay flat. On the bottom third:

1. Place 4 shrimp halves cut-side-up in a row
2. Add a small handful of vermicelli
3. Add a piece of lettuce, then herbs and sprouts

Fold the bottom up and over the filling, fold the sides in tight, then roll firmly away from you. The wrapper should self-seal. Tuck a chive through if using.

6. Serve immediately

Cut on a diagonal if you like. Don’t refrigerate — they go tough. Make as you eat, or dispatch a small army with friends at the table.

Stop at the assembly stage: If you’re prepping ahead, do everything except rolling. Set out the station and let everyone roll their own at the table — it’s the best dinner party.